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M. Grasso

Publications and source records attributed to M. Grasso.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Mean-field calculations of exotic nuclei ground states

We study the predictions of three mean-field theoretical approaches in the description of the ground state properties of some spherical nuclei far from the stability line. We compare binding energies, single particle spectra, density distributions, charge and neutron radii obtained with non-relativistic Hartree-Fock calculations carried out with both zero and finite-range interactions, and with a relativistic Hartree approach which uses a finite-range interaction. The agreement between the results obtained with the three different approaches indicates that these results are more related to the basic hypotheses of the mean-field approach rather than to its implementation in actual calculations.

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Low-lying dipole response in the stable $^{40,48}$Ca nuclei with the second random-phase approximation

Low-energy dipole excitations are analyzed for the stable isotopes $^{40}$Ca and $^{48}$Ca in the framework of the Skyrme-second random-phase approximation. The corresponding random-phase approximation calculations provide a negligible strength distribution for both nuclei in the energy region from 5 to 10 MeV. The inclusion and the coupling of 2 particle-2 hole configurations in the second random-phase approximation lead to an appreciable dipole response at low energies for the neutron-rich nucleus $^{48}$Ca. The presence of a neutron skin in the nucleus $^{48}$Ca would suggest the interpretation of the low-lying response in terms of a pygmy excitation. The composition of the excitation modes (content of 1 particle-1 hole and 2 particle-2 hole configurations), their transition densities and their collectivity (number and coherence of the different contributions) are analyzed. This analysis indicates that, in general, these excitations cannot be clearly interpreted in terms of oscillations of the neutron skin against the core with the exception of the peak with the largest $B(E1)$ value, which is located at 9.09 MeV. For this peak the neutron transition density dominates and the neutron and proton transition densities oscillate out of phase in the internal part of the nucleus leading to a strong mixing of isoscalar and isovector components. Therefore, this state shows some features usually associated to pygmy resonances.

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Beyond-mean-field theories with zero-range effective interactions. A way to handle the ultraviolet divergence

Zero-range effective interactions are commonly used in nuclear physics and in other domains to describe many-body systems within the mean-field model. If they are used within a beyond-mean-field framework, contributions to the total energy that display an ultraviolet divergence are found. We propose a general strategy to regularize this divergence and we illustrate it in the case of the second-order corrections to the equation of state (EOF) of uniform symmetric matter. By setting a momentum cutoff $Λ$, we show that for every (physically meaningful) value of $Λ$ it is possible to determine a new interaction such that the EOS with the second-order corrections reproduces the empirical EOS, with a fit of the same quality as that obtained at the mean-field level.

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Probing the pairing interaction through two-neutron transfer reactions

Cross sections for ($p,t$) two-neutron transfer reactions are calculated in the one-step zero-range distorted-wave Born approximation for the tin isotopes $^{124}$Sn and $^{136}$Sn and for incident proton energies from 15 to 35 MeV. Microscopic quasiparticle random-phase approximation form factors are provided for the reaction calculation and phenomenological optical potentials are used in both the entrance and the exit channels. Three different surface/volume mixings of a zero-range density-dependent pairing interaction are employed in the microscopic calculations and the sensitivity of the cross sections to the different mixings is analyzed. Since absolute cross sections cannot be obtained within our model, we compare the positions of the diffraction minima and the shapes of the angular distributions. No differences are found in the position of the diffraction minima for the reaction $^{124}$Sn($p,t$)$^{122}$Sn. On the other side, the angular distributions obtained for the reaction $^{136}$Sn($p,t$)$^{134}$Sn with surface and mixed interactions differ at large angles for some values of the incident proton energy. For this reaction, we compare the ratios of the cross sections associated to the ground state and the first excited state transitions. Differences among the three different theoretical predictions are found and they are more important at the incident proton energy of 15 MeV. As a conclusion, we indicate ($p,t$) two-neutron transfer reactions with very neutron-rich Sn isotopes and at proton energies around 15 MeV as good experimental cases where the surface/volume mixing of the pairing interaction may be probed.

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Collective nuclear excitations with Skyrme-Second RPA

Second RPA calculations with a Skyrme force are performed to describe both high- and low-lying excited states in $^{16}$O. The coupling between 1 particle-1 hole and 2 particle-2 hole as well as that between 2 particle-2 hole configurations among themselves are fully taken into account and the residual interaction is never neglected, not resorting therefore to a generally used approximate scheme where only the first kind of coupling is considered. The issue of the rearrangement terms in the matrix elements beyond standard RPA is addressed and discussed. As a general feature of second RPA results, a several-MeV shift of the strength distribution to lower energies is systematically found with respect to RPA distributions. A much more important fragmentation of the strength is also naturally provided by second RPA due to the huge number of 2 particle-2 hole configurations. A better description of the excitation energies of the low-lying 0$^+$ and 2$^+$ states is obtained with second RPA with respect to RPA.

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Bubbles in $^{34}$Si and $^{22}$O?

Bubble nuclei are characterized by a depletion of their central density. Their existence is examined within three different theoretical frameworks: the shell model as well as non-relativistic and relativistic microscopic mean-field approaches. We propose $^{34}$Si and $^{22}$O as possible candidates for proton and neutron bubble nuclei, respectively. In the case of $^{22}$O, we observe a significant model dependence, thereby calling into question the bubble structure of $^{22}$O. In contrast, an overall agreement among the models is obtained for $^{34}$Si. Indeed, all models predict a central proton density depletion of about 40%. This result provides strong evidence in favor of a proton bubble in $^{34}$Si.

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Detecting bubbles in exotic nuclei

The occurrence of a bubble, due to an inversion of s$_{1/2}$ state with the state usually located above, is investigated. Proton bubbles in neutron-rich Argon isotopes are optimal candidates. Pairing effects which can play against the bubble formation are evaluated. They cannot prevent bubble formation in very neutron-rich argon isotopes such as $^{68}$Ar. This pleads for a measurement of the charge density of neutron-rich argon isotopes in the forthcoming years, with the advent of electron scattering experiments in next generation exotic beam facilities such as FAIR or RIBF.

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Evolution of the proton sd states in neutron-rich Ca isotopes

We analyze the evolution with increasing isospin asymmetry of the proton single-particle states 2s1/2 and 1d3/2 in Ca isotopes, using non-relativistic and relativistic mean field approaches. Both models give similar trends and it is shown that this evolution is sensitive to the neutron shell structure, the two states becoming more or less close depending on the neutron orbitals which are filled. In the regions where the states get closer some parametrizations predict an inversion between them. This inversion occurs near $^{48}$Ca as well as very far from stability where the two states systematically cross each other if the drip line predicted in the model is located far enough. We study in detail the modification of the two single-particle energies by using the equivalent potential in the Schroedinger-like Skyrme-Hartree-Fock equations. The role played by central, kinetic and spin-orbit contributions is discussed. We finally show that the effect of a tensor component in the effective interaction considerably favors the inversion of the two proton states in $^{48}$Ca.

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Giant neutron halos in the non-relativistic mean field approach

Giant neutron halos in medium-heavy nuclei are studied in the framework of the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) approach with Skyrme interactions. The appearance of such structures depends sensitively on the effective interaction adopted. This is illustrated by comparing the predictions of SLy4 and SkI4 in the Ca and Zr isotopic chains. The former force gives no halo effect, the latter predicts a neutron halo in the Zr chain with A>122 due to the weakly bound orbitals 3p1/2 and 3p3/2. The structure of the halo is analyzed in terms of the occupation probabilities of these orbitals and their partial contributions to the neutron density. The anti-halo effect in Ni and Zr isotopes is also discussed by comparing the occupation probabilities of Hartree-Fock neutron single-particle states near the Fermi energy with the corresponding HFB quasiparticle states.

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Configuration interaction study of single and double dipole plasmon excitations in Na_8

We carry out a microscopic analysis of the ground and excited states of the Na_8 metal cluster within the jellium model. We perform a series of configuration interaction calculations on a Hartree-Fock basis and construct eigenstates of the Hamiltonian which carry up to 4-particle 4-hole components. Based on the analysis of the dipole transition strengths, we single out those states which can be interpreted as the collective dipole plasmon and its double excitations. These modes are found to possess a high degree of harmonicity, deviations from the harmonic limit remaining, however, of the order of 10%.

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Temperature and finite-size effects in collective modes of superfluid Fermi gases

We study the effects of superfluidity on the monopole and quadrupole collective excitations of a dilute ultra-cold Fermi gas with an attractive interatomic interaction. The system is treated fully microscopically within the Bogoliubov-de Gennes and quasiparticle random-phase approximation methods. The dependence on the temperature and on the trap frequency is analyzed and systematic comparisons with the corresponding hydrodynamic predictions are presented in order to study the limits of validity of the semiclassical approach.

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Two-neutron transfer in nuclei close to the dripline

We investigate the two-neutron transfer modes induced by (t,p) reactions in neutron-rich oxygen isotopes. The nuclear response to the pair transfer is calculated in the framework of continuum-Quasiparticle Random Phase Approximation (cQRPA). The cQRPA allows a consistent determination of the residual interaction and an exact treatment of the continuum coupling. The (t,p) cross sections are calculated within the DWBA approach and the form factors are evaluated by different methods : macroscopically, following the Bayman and Kallio method, and fully microscopically. The largest cross section corresponds to a high-lying collective mode built entirely upon continuum quasiparticle states.

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Continuum quasiparticle random phase approximation and the time dependent Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov approach

Quadrupole excitations of neutron-rich nuclei are analyzed by using the linear response method in the Quasiparticle Random Phase Approximation (QRPA). The QRPA response is derived starting from the time-dependent Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) equations. The residual interaction between the quasiparticles is determined consistently from the two-body force used in the HFB equations, and the continuum coupling is treated exactly. Calculations are done for the neutron-rich oxygen isotopes. It is found that pairing correlations affect the low-lying states, and that a full treatment of the continuum can change the structure of the states in the giant resonance region.

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Continuum HFB calculations with finite range pairing interactions

A new method of calculating pairing correlations in coordinate space with finite range interactions is presented. In the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) approach the mean field part is derived from a Skyrme-type force whereas the pairing field is constructed with a Gogny force. An iterative scheme is used for solving the integro-differential HFB equations via the introduction of a local equivalent potential. The method is illustrated on the case of the nucleus $^{18}$C. It is shown that the results are insensitive to the cut off value in the quasiparticle spectrum if this value is above 100 MeV.

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Extended RPA within a solvable 3 level model

Working within an exactly solvable 3 level model, we discuss am extension of the Random Phase Approximation (RPA) based on a boson formalism. A boson Hamiltonian is defined via a mapping procedure and its expansion truncated at four-boson terms. RPA-type equations are then constructed and solved iteratively. The new solutions gain in stability with respect to the RPA ones. We perform diagonalizations of the boson Hamiltonian in spaces containing up to four-phonon components. Approximate spectra exhibit an improved quality with increasing the size of these multiphonon spaces. Special attention is addressed to the problem of the anharmonicity of the spectrum.

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Pairing and continuum effects in nuclei close to the drip line

The Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) equations in coordinate representation are solved exactly, i.e., with correct asymptotic boundary conditions for the continuous spectrum. The calculations are preformed with effective Skyrme interactions. The exact HFB solutions are compared with HFB calculations based on box boundary conditions and with resonant continuum Hartree-Fock-BCS (HF-BCS) results. The comparison is done for the neutron-rich Ni isotopes. It is shown that close to the drip line the amount of pairing correlations depends on how the continuum coupling is treated. On the other hand, the resonant continuum HF-BCS results are generally close to those of HFB even in neutron-rich nuclei.

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Extension of random-phase approximation preserving energy weighted sum rules: an application to a 3-level Lipkin model

A limitation common to all extensions of random-phase approximation including only particle-hole configurations is that they violate to some extent the energy weighted sum rules. Considering one such extension, the improved RPA (IRPA), already used to study the electronic properties of metallic clusters, we show how it can be generalized in order to eliminate this drawback. This is achieved by enlarging the configuration space, including also elementary excitations corresponding to the annihilation of a particle (hole) and the creation of another particle (hole) on the correlated ground state. The approach is tested within a solvable 3-level model.

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Treatment of pairing correlations in nuclei close to drip lines

We discuss the HFB equations in coordinate representation,a suitable method for handling the full effects of the continuous quasiparticle spectrum. We show how the continuum HFB equations can be solved with the correct asymptotic conditions instead of the discretization conditions which are commonly used in the literature. The continuum HFB method is illustrated with a model where the mean field and pairing field have simple forms. The relationship with the continuum Hartree-Fock-BCS (HF-BCS) approximation is also discussed. Realistic HFB and HF-BCS calculations based on Skyrme interactions are compared for the case of a neutron-rich nucleus.

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